Portable circulation and heating apparatus for tanneries



Jan. 12, 1932. J. sTARLlNG* 1,841,068

' PORTABLE CIRCULATION AND HEATING APPARATUS FOR TANNERIES Filed July 9, 1930 ff/9 F/g2 Y. Patented Jan. 12, 1932 Unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEF STARLING, OF ANGELHOLM, SWEDEN Application filed July 9, 1930, Serial No. 466,848, and in Germany July 18, 1929.

My present invention refers to a portable circulation and heating apparatus for tanneries.'

In the rapid tanning by means of extracts,

5 the hides in a manner previously known are subjected to a pre-tanning by suspending the same in a diluted tanning liquor, and the linal tanning is performed by an intense treatment of the hides by means of a highly conlo centrated tanning liquor preferably in a rotating vat. This strenuous treatment of the hides, which is adhered to for the purpose of preparing the leather within a shorter period of time only, is injurious to the quality l5 of thev leather, and the leather will be of a superior quality when using the old and more time-wasting tanning methods, accordingto which the hides, at certain intervals of time, are successively transferred from Z0 vats containing weaker tanning liquors to others in which 'the liquors gradually increase in strength, or wherein the tanning liquor in the saine vat, at certain intervals,

Y ischanged and is each time substituted by a l5 stronger liquor. y

' In order to make this process a little less time-wasting it has, however, already been proposedl to heat the tanning liquor inthe vat and to keep it in circulation, `but in such instances a specially built factory has hithertdbeen required, such factory being rather costly both in respect of erection and in the working. i.

By means of the portable apparatus aco cording to the invention it will be possible, without a special and costly factory ofthe kind hinted at, in an advantageous manner to accelerate the tanning process by a suit- 9 able heating and circulation of the tanning liquor and by controlling the strength thereof without removing the hides or emptying the vat during the whole period of time spent in the tanning. The .apparatus may also be found advantageous in use for de-hairing, or other treatment, of the hides, for instance a treatment-with lime solution, or other solution, and* for the purpose of heating and circulating such solution during the treatment.

i .An embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein n Fig. 1 shows an elevation of the apparatus partly in longitudinal section, and Fig. Qshows a plan view of the same.

The apparatus consists of a tube l, preferably produced from copper or aluminum, such tube being adapted to take a Vertical position in the tanning vat at one oi its corners, for instance so that the tube at its lower end rests directly on the bot-tom of the vat, as indicated-in the drawings.

An electric motor 2 is mounted at the upper end of the tube l, such motor preferably being supported by an adjustable bracket device. According to the embodiment shown this adjustable bracket means consists of rods 3 which by means of set screws are adjustably locked in eyes provided on a ring 4 at the upper end of the tube 1, and a ring 5 on the electric motor 2.

By means of an upper antifriction bearing 6 and a lower bearing 7 made from wood, for instance pook-wood, is mounted a shaft 8 centrallywithin the tube, such shaft being preferably made from brass and provided with a flexible clutch, for instance a rubber sleeve y9, at its'upper end, such clutch forming a connection with the motor shaft 10, the lower end of the shaft being provided with a` liquid propelling means 11.

Atr its lower end the tube 1 is provided with an inlet opening 12, the upper end being provided with an outlet socket 13, the airis of such means being preferably positioned at a right angle in relation to each other as will be seen in Fig. 1.

At the rotation, the propeller sucks in the tanning liquor through the opening 12 elevating the same within the interior of the tube and forcing it out through the outlet 13, and hereby an eliicient circulation of the tanning liquor in the vat is performed. During its passage through the tube 1, the tanning liquor is subjected to a controllable heating by means of a heating element, mounted within the tube in a position so as to be passed in a heat transmitting relation by the liquor flowing therethrough.

In the embodiment shown, the s aid heating in the accompanying drawings,

element consists of acoil of copper piping 14, which at its upper end, by means of a control Vvalve 15, by means of a hose 16 or the like is intended to be `connected vwith a steam line, preferably a line transmitting high pressure steam, or else a waste steam line may be used, the lower end ofthe said coil being ccnnected with an outlet vpipe 17 for water of condensation. t The control of the Valve 15 ispreferabl performed automatically by means of a thermostatic controller-.subjected to the temperature of the heated fluid rising through the tube 1,'and such'controller may preferably.

be mounted substantially at the outlet 13. By" means of this therniostatic controller, which can be yconstructed in any well-known V'manner and adaptedto actuatethe valve in is permanently attended to for other reasons, the control ofthe admittance of steam Amay naturally also be performed manually.

Instead of Va steam coil, an electric heating element may be used, if the source of energy required is at handy ata cheap price. In any case it is advisable that the heating elementis mounted within the tube 1, so that the upward How of the liquid'tlierein `encircles'the element, and further it is a condition that the liquid shall have a substantial rapidity of flow when passing the said'element. Hereby the transmission of heat is increased anda periodical overheating of the element yandl deposition of solid particles on its heat transferring faces are prevented It is to benoted that the tanning liquor is very sensitive to a too strong heating and' ywill be injured thereby, and besides it always contains notonly the dissolved ingredients' but also suspended solids which when settling onV theheat. transferring faces will reducethe heating elficiency of the element and will be burntby thesame, so that the tanningliquor may be destroyed in a manner causing an injurious effect on the hides under treatment.

In the embodiment of apparatus shownv in the dr'awi-ngs,the liquid rising within the tube 1 is given a rotating movement by means of the propeller; and hereby it is caused to talre a helical path which is advantageous to the efficiency ofthe transfer of heat when passing the-heating element. Foi-the same purpose,

t and alsofor prevent-ing the settling of solids onthe heating surfaces, serves aV tubular ccpn per acket 19 mounted around the propeller shaft 8 within the heating coil 14- and provided with a closed bottom end, this jacket being intended to confine the flow of the fluid into a comparatively narrow interspace between the outer tube 1 and the jacket 19 at the passage of the heating coil. rlfhereby an increased iapidity-of iiow is caused at this point and the liquid is carried intimately into contact with the heating coil. Y

VTheV apparatus as aV Whole is so light that it may easily be .carried and inserted in any vat-desired, and it is so eiiicient in action that it,fwhen combined with'a motor of less than one horse-power (for linstance one third horsepower only) and a heating surface amounting to 0,5%,0 square metre, will be suflicient for performing a satisfactory heating and circulation of the liquor within a tanning vat having a volume of 30-50 cubic` metres. v

In order easily to perform an adjustment Vofthe length of the apparatus according to different conditions, the lower Vend 1a of the tube 1 is preferably constructedso as to be dismounted and substituted. In such case the same apparatus may be provided-.with ay number of tube ends 1 of different length and ailixable according to requirements.

`The 1aflifring of the substitutable tube end may thereby be performed for instance by means of rapid action coupling flangesQO of a construction known perse.

'The addition of tanning extract or chemi- -cals for maintenance or changing of the coiniositio'n of the tannin@ liquor or the strength C2 A 7 n4 vthereofduring the progress of the tanning process, may preferably be performed by means of the tube 1, 'andthereby the additions are rapidly distributed throughout the entire bulk of'lioiiid'withinv the'vat. In this simple manner it will be possible, without costly arrangements, to perform the tanning in vthe-common vat under utilisation of the advantages of the circulation and heating, without the necessity of removing the hides or'the liquor, or both, from the vat, as has hitherto been the kcommon practice.

Naturally, the invention is notV limited to theparticulars describedk above for the salte (if-explanation, and such particulars may be variedwithout departing from the principle.

`What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f

1. In a portable circulation and heating apparatus for the purpose described, an up- Y per tube section and lower tube section separably connected with the former and adapted to be substituted by other lower tube sections of different length, an inlet provided substantially at'the free bottom end of said lower tube section, lan outlet provided substantially at the upper end of the upper tube section, propelling means for the liquid mountedin` the-combined tube, a prime mover, mounted in connection with the upper tube section, transmission means between the said prime mover andthe propelling means, and heating element mounted in the combined tube so as to be passed in a heat transmitting relation b y the liquid flowing from the inlet to the outlet thereof.

2. In a portable circulation and heating apparatus for the purpose described, a tube adapted to be positioned substantially vertically in a vat, an inlet provided substantially at the bott m end of such tube, an outlet irovided substantially at the opposite end of the saine, a prime mover, mounted at the upper portion of the tube, propelling means for the liquid mounted in the tube and adapted to be driven by the said prime mover and intended for causing a liow of liquid contained in the vat through said tube, a heating element mounted within the tube in a position so as to be passed by the liquid propelled therethrough, controlling means adapted for controlling the activity of the heating element, and a thermostatic controller mounted so as to be actuated by the liquid flowing through the. tube and adapted to control theheating element in correspondence with the teniperature of such liquid. Y

3. In a portable circulation and heating apparatus according to claim 2, the additional fea ure that the thermostatic corrtroller is mounted substantially at the outlet of the tu e so as to be sensitive to the teni perature of the liquid which has passed the heating element. l

4. In a portable circulation and heating apparatusv according to claim 2, the additional feature that the tube is divided into two interseparable sections by means `of a quick acting clutch, the prime mover and the propelling means being mounted on the upper section of the tube.

5. ln a portable circulation and lheating apparatus according to claim 2, the additional feature that the heating element is mounted in a comparatively narrow interspace between the tube wall and an interior tubular jacket therein such jacket having a l closed bottom end and surrounds the transmission means between the prime mover and the propelling means.

6. In a portable circulation and heating apparatus according to claim tional that the heating element conlsists of a steam coil, the inlet of which is controlled by a valve means controlled by the thermostatic controller.

7. A portable apparatus for simultaneously heating and creating gentle circulation of a liquid contained in alarge vat, which co aprises'an elongated tubular casing adapted to be positioned vertically in the vat preferably at a cerner thereof a d provided at its lower end with a liquid inlet and at its upper 2, the addi-L end with a liquid outlet, a prime mover mounted on the top of the said tubular casing, a shaft journalled within the tubular casing and connected to the said prime mover to be rotated thereby, a propeller on the said shaft for' forcing liquid through the said vtubular casing from the inlet to the outlet .at its lower end with a lateral liquid inlet opening and at its upper end with a lateral liquid outlet opening and adapted to be positioned vertically in the vat preferably at a corner thereof with the said liquid outlet opening located immediately below the surface of the liquid in the vat, an electric motor mounted on the top of the said tubular casing, a shaft journalled within the tubular casing coaXially therewith and coupled to the said electric motor to be rotated thereby, a propeller on the lower end of said shaft for forcing liquid through the said tubular casing from the inletto the outlet thereof, and a heating device arranged within the tubular casing in spaced relation to the inner walls thereof so as to be surrounded by the liquid within the casing for heating such liquid while it is flowing upwards from the inlet to the outlet of the casing.

9. A portable apparatus for simultaneously heating and creating gentle circulation of a liquid contained in a large vat, which comprises an elongated tubular casing provided at its lower end with a lateral liquid inlet opening and at its upper end with a lateral liquid outlet opening and adapted to be positioned vertically in the vat preferably at a corner thereof with the said inlet opening located near the bottom of the vat and with the said outlet opening located immediately below the surface of the liquid in the vat, the said lateral inlet and outlet openings being angularly offset in relation to each other, an electric motor mounted on the top of the said tubular casing, a shaft journalled coaxially in the said casing and connected to the said motor to be rotated thereby, a propeller on the lower end of said shaft for forcing liquid through the said tubular casing from the inlet to the outlet thereof, and a heating device arranged within the said tubular casing so as to be surrounded by the liquid in the said casing for heating such liquid while it is flow- A ing upwards from the inlet to the outlet of the casing.

10. In a portable circulation and heating apparatus 'for the purpose described, a tube adapted to be positioned substantially vertically in a vat, an inlet provided substantially at Vthe bottom end of such tube, anoutlet provided substantially at the opposite end ofthe same,V a prime mover mounted Vat the upper portion of the tube, 'propelling means for the liquid mounted in the tube, a central shaft f r `Within the tube connecting the said pri-me mover With said propelling means, a coil shaped heating elementmounted around the shaft Within the tube i-n a position 4so :as to be passed by the liquid fiovvingfrom the inlet to the outlet thereof, said heating coil being mounted in a comparatively lnarfrovv interspaoefbetween the wall of the tube and a tubular jacket surrounding said shaft,V such tubular aoket being closed at its lower end.

In `l`testimony whereof IV lhave signed my name to this specification. JOSEF STARLING. 

